Seashells on the Beach
by mamaXunicorn
Summary: AU swanfire. The Cassidy family spends a nice day out at a Tallahassee beach.


"Neal! Be careful with him!"

"I am being careful with him!"

Neal scoffed and lightly shook his head as he looked down at the toddler in his arms. "Mommy worries too much."

His son smiled a wide grin back at him and Neal dropped a small kiss to the top of his head. "Alright kiddo, you ready for this?"

The toddler blinked at him through wide brown eyes and then pointed downwards. Neal shifted him in his arms, holding him underneath both arms and lowering him down. The little boy squealed as his feet touched the cold ocean water and then started to giggle uncontrollably.

Neal set him all the way down so his little toes squished in the sand while still having a good grip on his sides.

He squealed again and flapped his hands against the water excitedly. Neal chuckled, "You like that Henry?"

At the mention of his name, Henry looked up to his father and grinned, continuing to splash the water.

Neal lowered himself so he was kneeling beside him and wrapped an arm securely around Henry's middle as he reached into the water. "Look Henry." He pulled out a large shell from the sand and held it out for his son.

Henry's little eyes widened in wonder as he reached out to take the shell. He turned it around in his hands, making sure to observe every little design and then held it out to Neal. "Dada!"

"I see! You have a shell!"

Henry waved it in the air, cooing happily.

Neal continued to sift through the sand picking out all different types of shell to show to his son and Henry got excited over each and every one but never let go of the first one.

He even held onto it as a small wave crashed in front of them, sending foam and spray into Henry's face and threatening to knock him down. Neal kept a good hold on him however and held back a laugh at the expression on his son's face. He gently rubbed Henry's chest, "Hey, you alright bud?"

Henry blinked past the water dripping down his face and scrunched up his face in a second of distaste and then turned to his father with a smile.

It was then that Neal felt another presence at his side and looked up to find Emma standing there, concern written in her eyes. "Is he alright?"

Neal laughed softly. "He's fine, Emma."

"Mama!" Henry cried as soon as he saw her and held up the shell for her. "S'ell!"

Emma's face softened and a warm smile spread across her lips. "That's a very nice shell, baby." She knelt down beside Neal and shared a smile with her son before Henry returned his attention to the water.

Neal turned to her with a smirk. "I told you he'd love it."

Emma gave him a look. "Yes, alright. Excuse me for being a little nervous about my child going into the ocean."

"I wouldn't let him go."

Emma sighed quietly. "I know you wouldn't but its still scary, okay?" She looked down at Henry and smiled softly as he scooped some water into the shell and dumped it out again. "I am glad he's having fun, though."

Neal smiled at her and then glanced down at Henry. He watched him play for another minute or two and then looked back over to Emma only to find her distracted by some other kid's playing a few feet away.

A mischievous grin crossed his lips and he pressed Henry against his chest causing the little boy to look up at him. With his hand, Neal made a quick swiping movement in the water and Henry stared at him for a moment before copying his motions sending water flying in Emma's direction.

Emma gasped as the cold water hit the side of her face and instantly snapped her head back to them. Neal wasn't even bothering to hide the grin on his face as he held onto their innocent faced son.

She scoffed and narrowed her eyes. "You are so going to pay for that, Cassidy."

"What?" He laughed and nodded to their son. "It was him."

She shook her head. "Very classy, Neal. Blame the baby."

"It was!" He insisted but his grin proved otherwise and she huffed, pretending to be offended but unable to keep the smirk off her lips.

Henry, seemingly pleased with his father's reaction to his actions, giggled and swiped his hand again. Neal burst out laughing as the water hit Emma's chest and Emma gaped at her young son.

Henry squealed in delight and Emma scrunched up her face for a moment before taking Henry from Neal and lightly tickling his sides. Henry squealed again and squirmed in her arms and she laughed before stopping, hugging him to her chest and kissing the side of his face.

They stayed in the water for a little while longer until Emma noticed that Henry began to shiver. Then the small family retreated up the beach to their little spot on the sand where Emma grabbed a fluffy towel and wrapped her son in it and then placed him on the blanket. She grabbed a towel for herself and handed one to Neal and they both settled down on the blanket on either side of their son.

Once Henry was warm again, he wiggled out of the towel and crawled over to the edge of the blanket to play in the sand. Emma smiled as she watched him play and moved over just a little to cuddle up to Neal.

Neal smiled over at her and slipped his arm behind her, before leaning over to nuzzle his nose against her cheek and leaving a soft kiss there. Emma giggled against the sensation his light touches provided and then rested her head against his shoulder, sighing contentedly.

A warm smile tugged at her lips as Neal began to run his fingers through her tangled mess of wet hair. "Thank you." She murmured against his warmed skin.

"For what?" He asked against the top of her head.

She shrugged lightly. "For everything, really." She titled her head back to meet his eyes. "Do you know how much I love you?"

Neal smiled and a shiver ran up her spine as his fingers danced across her back. "I think I have an idea."

She lifted her body just so she could reach up to meet his lips in a short but sweet kiss.

"I love you too." He said quietly after they parted and she smiled brightly before settling her head back down on his shoulder and looking back at Henry.

His shell was still secure in his right hand as he started covering himself with sand with the left. Then once the sand was covering too much of his legs he'd kick it off and start over again.

A low chuckle rumbled in Neal's chest as he watched him and Emma smiled in adoration. At times she almost couldn't believe that this was her life, living in Tallahassee with the man she loved and their beautiful son. She actually had a family and one that would never abandon her. She knew it meant that much to Neal too, to have a family that loved him. Neither of them ever had to be alone again for they had each other and they had Henry. And moments like these would come in handfuls throughout the years and each one would remain just as precious as the last.

After another several minutes of Henry playing in the sand, the toddler crawled back to his parents with wide eyes.

Emma sat up and took her son into her lap, running her fingers through his damp hair. "What's the matter, Henry? You hungry?"

Henry nodded and pointed over to the bag they had brought. "Food!"

Emma reached over to the bag and grabbed a small bowl of cheerios which Henry instantly reached for. Before he could however Emma intercepted by lightly grabbing his little hands and wiping all the sand off with a towel. Once his hands were all cleaned, she took the cover off the bowl and handed it to Henry. Henry grinned and reached into the bowl, grabbing the cereal one by one and putting it into his mouth.

Emma dropped a light kiss to the top of his head as he ate and then shared a small smile with Neal.

As she sat there with her son in her lap, her fiance beside her, with the warm Florida sun shining down on them, she knew life couldn't be any better.


End file.
